Alpha and Omega

The beginning of year 2013 was a big test of faith. Never did I got so scared in my whole entire professional life! For the very first time, I attended a mass at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene. It is a church widely famous for miracles to the devotees. I had been avoiding it since I've moved here to Manila in 2003 cause it's always very crowded. But last weekend, I found myself among the so many people hearing mass inside the crowded church.

I tried finding a more appropriate 'alpha and omega' stamp in my collection but this is the best one I have which shows Christ carrying a cross. Alpha and Omega. The Beginning and The End. For me, 2013 is the beginning of a stronger faith and the end of being doubtful. For the very first time I'm not thinking about back up plans and I am completely surrendering my life to Him.

I hope this one would count as a valid submission for the theme, 'beginnnigs' @ Viridian's for today.

A great week ahead for everyone!

~maria

'Something Black'

The reality is, no matter how many 'Happy New Year' greetings we get, or even we really wanted to jump start the year on a good note, when there's something terribly wrong from the past year/s...there's no fresh and happy start unless we find the way to mend it. Also, when you know there are terrible things ahead of you just right at the start of a new year, you just wish the time would freeze at 11:59 on that last day of December 2012.

I was emotionally down the past weeks. Worst, I was crying every now and then. I felt like the whole weight of the world is on my shoulders! I wanted to continue posting nice and encouraging postcard entries here to kick start the year cheerfully but I just can't! I wanted to write motivating entries along with those cards but I was just completely uninspired myself... sorry dear readers!

Having said that, I find Viridian's Sunday Stamps theme to be appropriate for what I was through -- lost in the dark. (I am feeling a lot better now, worry not.)

The theme is 'something black' or a black stamp.

First I have this Black Marsh Terrapin from the back of my very first (and only one mailed from SG) postcard from Singapore. It's more charming name is 'smiling terrapin'. Nice! Just the right word to make me feel a lot better! :) This turtle is considered sacred by Buddhists here in Southeast Asia and kept as a pet in temples. Sadly, Ms. Terri Smiley is classified as 'vulnerable', being hunted for food and traditional medicine.

This stamp is a part of a 10 definitive stamps set released by SingPost in 13 April 2011. The set was part of the 'Pond Life' collection.

The second stamp that I found is of these baby raccoons. And wow! I learned a new word, 'kit'. Kits or baby raccoons are vulnerable up to six weeks from birth...but looking at these stamps, they already look mischievous with that bandit-mask marking on their faces! 

This design was released by the Canadian Post on 16 January 2012 as part of the Baby Wildlife definitive stamps series.

I hope that despite this entry started with an under the weather tone, the stamps were cute enough to put us all in a light mood.

I brace myself for a terrible week ahead of me...please help me in hoping I come out of it alive...

I pray a better experience for this week for all of you (and for me too, if possible!)

~maria

P.S. Know that even though I'm having a terrible start for 2013, I am still sincerely grateful for all the 'Happy New Year' greetings that I got. Perhaps all those greetings are working to reduce the negative energy so it won't be that terrible for me after all! ;-) Salamat po!